Results of Epizootiological Survey along the Border Areas of Kharkhira-Turgensky Natural Plague Focus between Russia and Mongolia in 2019

Objective of the study was to assess the current epizootic settings along the border part of KharkhiraTurgensky natural plague focus betweenRussia andMongolia.

Materials and methods. Epizootiological survey covered 2715.5 km2. 213 samples of field material were tested (90 specimens of mammals, 102 specimens of ectoparasites, 17 samples of leftover food of predatory birds and dry skeletal remnants of marmots, 4 regurgitates of birds of prey). Laboratory works were carried out in “Microbiological laboratory for express diagnostics” mounted on the platform of the minibus “GAZelle”. Tests of field material were performed using immune-chromatographic (IC) assay and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR and IC positive samples were further investigated applying bacteriological method. Epizootiological surveyed deployed GIS instruments. All the results obtained were plotted on the electronic maps using QGIS 2.18.26 software.

Results and discussion. Capsular antigen (F1) of Yersinia pestis was detected in three (1.4 %) studied samples (n=213), DNA of plague microbe – in eight samples (3.7 %). Bacteriological investigation of positive samples revealed one sample (leftover food of predatory birds – Mongolian marmot) from which plague agent culture was isolated. The culture belonged to Y. pestis of the main subspecies. Geographical positioning of the epizootiological survey sites was conducted, as well as positive findings of immunological and molecular-genetic assays. Results of epizootiological survey are indicative of active phase of plague agent circulation (main subspecies) in Kharkhira-Turgensky natural focus in Mongolia.

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